Silver Memories
by storytellergirl
Summary: When the world fades away, pieces of another time grow clearer, and all that you can remember are nothing more than silver memories of all you left behind. What do you dare remember?
1. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

**Disclaimer: **the characters do not belong to me. The plot is mine however, and it is loosely based upon a role playing game I run by the same name of SILVER MEMORIES. Everything you read here is purely fiction and for enjoyment purposes only. The names will be in English, as will be the mannerisms so I don't get flamed for butchering the Japanese culture completely.

**Song Credit: **John Mayer

xXxXx

**Slow Dancing in a Burning Room**

Golden hair shimmered in the moonlight as a lone figure traversed down the marble white halls. Her face was grim, not at all becoming for the young beauty, but altogether understandable. Times were tough; there was talk of a war brewing outside the palace grounds, one that could possibly change the fate of the universe forever. Trouble had been rare in the past, but with the discovery of a dark cloud in the far reaches of the galaxy it was becoming more and more apparent that something was coming.

A small sigh escaped the lips of the blonde girl as her feet slowed, eventually halting altogether. Her body seemed to sway as though she was faint, and perhaps she would have had she not grabbed hold of a large pillar at her side. Seconds ticked by in silence before a choked sob was let loose, and then another. Before long the girl was crying freely, her body shaking with the momentum. Within minutes she was sliding down to the ground, her heart shattering into a million pieces.

It had only been a few months ago that things had seemed so bright, and now everything was darkening. An ageless era of peace and prosperity was finally coming to an end; and with it a love story that would eventually come to transcend time itself. For the time being however it was easier to believe that this was the final chapter of a life unfulfilled.

"How could it come to this?" choked out the blonde, a stray curl escaping from one of the jeweled buns atop her head. "How can it be over before even starting? Is there no one that can save us?"

"Princess …" The soft voice came from the other side of the pillar, causing the young blonde woman to glance upwards, her eyes blurred with tears. She used the back of a single hand to wipe her eyes, focusing her attention on the dark haired man kneeling beside her. He was the cause of both her pain and joy – her everything. It was he she had fallen in love with only so long ago, and it was he she was about to lose as the war around them destroyed all that she held dear in her heart.

"Oh Endymion, how could it have come to this? How can the universe fall apart around us? Can this really be the end of the Silver Millennium?"

"Oh Princess, my beautiful princess …" Endymion reached out an arm to encircle the waist of the golden haired creature with tears streaming down her face, pulling her into his arms. The moment she was there the princess began to cry, her body shaking with every sob she could muster. Minutes passed before she could calm herself, her tears coming to a halt of their own accord. She was spent dry, an ache replacing the sorrow in her heart.

Endymion continued. "Please don't cry. It hurts me to see you like this."

"How else should I be? My friends are out fighting what is likely their final battle, my mother has been weakened with every hit we take, and I'm afraid that in the end our attempts will be futile – that this is the end of us. I can't live without you, Endymion … but what hope do we have of living out the rest of our lives together when the world is crumbling around our ears? This is it … this is goodbye forever."

"Not forever," replied Endymion seriously, his arms tightening around the princess. "You and I will always be together no matter what happens. Whatever comes, know that I will always love you – nothing, not even time can keep you from me. We're meant to be together, Selenity. We **will **be together. I know we will."

"How – how could you possibly know all this?" Selenity's head moved away from Endymion's shoulder so as to see into the eyes of the one she loved, her own filled with hope and fear.

Endymion placed a gentle hand on her cheek, his thumb rubbing the flesh ever so softly. "The moment I first saw you I knew I loved you – it didn't matter that you were Lunarian and I a Terran. We're meant to be together; every fiber of my being knows this to be true, Selenity. There isn't anything I wouldn't do to have you with me for all time … and should our armies fall this day in battle I believe we will meet again in the future. I don't care how long it takes, but I **will **find you again. I know I will, and when I do we will be together … we'll have our happily ever after."

A tiny glimmer of hope appeared on Selenity's face, her lips twitching with a hint of a smile. "You sound like my mother, so full of mysticism."

"Fate isn't mysticism."

"It very well could be given the fact that it's willing to tear us apart now."

"You simply have to believe. Believe in your friends. Believe in your army. Believe in your mother. Believe in me. Most of all, **believe in us**. You do believe in us, don't you?"

Selenity tilted her head to one side, her smile saddening as she allowed her eyes to rake down to the uniform of her lover. "You're the one thing I could never stop believing in, Endymion. I believe in us. I do."

"Then that is all that matters." At this Endymion released Selenity, gracefully moving back onto his feet. Her clear blue eyes followed his movements, resting on his hand as he extended it in her direction.

"May I have this final dance?"

With an air of sorrow about her Selenity lifted her slender hand and placed it in that of Endymion's, allowing him to lift her onto her feet again before taking up the ever familiar positions with one another as dancing partners. They had done it so many times before that the whole thing seemed little more than routine. Being in the arms of the one she loved came naturally to Selenity, and she knew that tonight of all nights would be one for the books.

"Always."

And without music, the pair began to dance.

XxXxX

She ran without knowing if she would ever be able to stop. Behind her she could hear the panting of her pursuer. Perhaps they would never end this fatal chase. All around her was the clash of metal against metal. There was a battle afoot and she was now caught up in it. She had hoped to come across an accord of sorts before things got out of hand, but both sides were being stubborn and thus, no accord had been wrought.

There likely never would be.

This was a battle to the finish. It would continue for as long as it took for one side to be proven victorious, the other nothing more than moon dust.

For Princess Meriel of the planet Mercury it was the thought of turning to dust that kept her feet steady as she ran. If she stopped it would be the end of her, and for once in her life the princess found she really was afraid of dust. Meek and mild mannered as she appeared in the Lunarian Court, one would hardly have thought the princess as being particularly brave, but she had read ever book there was on the subject of death and had thought herself prepared for that inevitable fate all humanity shared. Yet she was now being proven so very wrong, for it was death that was chasing her, and it was death she would surely come across this tiring day of battle.

Tucking a strand of dark blue hair behind her ears, Meriel ducked behind the corner of the hedge, thanking her lucky stars that she was outdoors in the garden. Surely this would be a safe as place as any to try and hide. It wasn't becoming of her to be sure; Meriel was more than just the Princess of Mercury, she was its guardian representative born to protect the Princess of the Moon. Unfortunately the Mercurian had no idea where her precious friend currently was, though she hoped with all her heart the blonde girl was safe and sound within the castle walls. It wouldn't do to lose her too in the name of peace and prosperity.

"I know you're there, Princess. You can't run forever." The voice was steely, matching perfectly the heart of the man behind it. Once Meriel had fancied his mind, thinking him one of the more intellectual men she had ever met. How soon she had been proven wrong, for out of nowhere he had turned to darkness, using his skills and mind for something that she herself could never support. Whether or not the man formerly known as Ephraim was truly evil was unknown to the Scout of Mercury, and she did wish to find out.

But he was right, she could not hide forever. It would be foolish to think that by doing so she would be helping her fellow Scouts out fighting in the name of the Moon. Meriel would need to prove her worth as well, and gladly would she do it in the name of Selenity, her dearest friend and compatriot.

_Please let her be alright. Please let Selenity live to see the light of another day. She is the future of the Silver Millennuim – she __**must**__ live. She simply must._

Taking a deep breath of air Meriel stepped out from behind the hedge she had ducked behind. Standing tall in her uniform of a white body suit encircled by a light blue ruffle skirt, matching bows, a pair of matching boots, and a golden tiara with a blue gem in the middle, Meriel looked every inch the Sailor Scout she was.

"In the name of Mercury, I shall punish you," murmured the young woman, her voice soft as she spoke the comforting mantra aloud. How many times in the past had she spoken them to another? Of all the Scouts in the system, Meriel was the least battle tested … but that would not prevent her from trying with all her might to do what she had been born to do.

She would fight evil.

She would fight the man she had almost fallen in love with. She would fight unto the death, hers or his, it did not matter.

Across from her the man who would never more be known as Ephraim curled his lips into a thin smirk. "I'm afraid the fates have a harsh punishment awaiting you, dear princess. This is the end of the Silver Millennium as we know it – your fate and mine are forever entwined, and today it shall end. This will be the fall of the House of Serenity."

"Then so be it." This time Meriel managed to steel her voice like ice, matching the frosted tips of her white gloved fingers. She could feel the power within her building up as it had only ever done with great concentration. It seemed the rumor of anger making one stronger was all too right; she only hoped it would prove to be a helpful agent this fate filled day.

And like a dance of old the pair began their battle the moment Ephraim leaped forward, a foreign cry escaping his lips as he slashed his way through a blast of ice cold bubbles.

XxXxX

The sword cut through the air to clang against that of another before being lifted back to cut the air again. It was a timeless exercise, one she had been practicing since the age of three. Her father had taught her well, as could only be expected of a Martian. She was heiress to all that was war and chaos, two things she loved best in the universe. At this point in time the raven haired beauty craved blood, that of the one in which she was currently engaged with in battle. The battles they had raged against one another before had never been quite like this, never so filled with ire and rage, and certainly never with the intentions of killing the other.

Princess Regan of Mars was used to battle. She lived for it. One would think, however, that of all days to hate war, this would be the one, for the man she was fighting against was the one in which she had finally lost her heart. The one she had secretly wed only weeks before his dark betrayal to the universe they lived in.

It was hard to believe that Regan had allowed herself to believe in a happily ever after. She had sworn off men before allowing herself to even think about them. Men had only ever been tireless creatures that thought they could run the life of any woman they pleased. Seeing her mother and father together had been more than enough for the fire blooded princess – she would never bow down before any man in the name of love.

Yet she had done just that merely months after meeting a man by the name of Jedidiah. She had known the moment she laid eyes on him that he was different. He had pursued her relentless for weeks with the usual bouts of flowers and terrible singing, much of which had been done to annoy her because he himself had no intentions of falling in love either. She had been an amusement of his, one in which to pass his time while on the moon.

Fate had other things in store for in the midst of their eighth sword fight with each other they finally let go of all they had been hiding, and from that point on their relationship became a whirlwind of secret rendezvous' and stolen kisses, all of which had culminated in a ceremony with only a single witness.

But now that was gone, all a part of the past Regan wished to bury along with her own self. She had allowed herself to love and it had only brought upon heartache. Never again would she fall for this act; never again would she open her heart to another.

There was no doubt there would be death tonight; her own, more than likely. It was natural to think little of it. What more did she need now that her heart had been ripped out and replaced with an unspeakable fury of a woman scorned and betrayed?

He was the only one she would ever love, that she knew for a fact; and tonight she would make it so that she was the only one he ever loved. He would die by her hands. She knew he would – just as she knew she would die by his. Tragic love, perhaps, but inevitable due to tragic circumstances.

Sweat dripped down Regan's face as she brought her sword against that of her lover's once more, bringing as much of her weight as she could to press his sword in his direction. She was growing weaker, much of which had to do with the long hours spent already in combat. It was likely her fault the battle had begun – the Scout of Mars had been more than willing to strike the first blow this day.

"Admit defeat, admit you cannot beat me."

Regan gritted her teeth. "I will bow down to no man, not even you, Jed."

"You're weak."

"You've never been strong enough against me."

"This time is different. This time I'm not playing games. I'm not here to win your heart. I'm here to win your world."

"You follow a woman as dark as sin."

"You never loved me well enough to make me stay."

"You never had all of me." It was a lie, for Regan knew he had been given her heart and soul without her ever meaning to, just as she had received his. Their words were spoken in bitterness of two lovers still strained over an argument they would never remember. It was their destiny.

Jed took a step backwards, his sword falling to his side, but his hold never loosening. He too was fairly capable with a sword and knew to keep ever watchful with the Princess of Mars in front of him, a sword in her own hand.

"Come with me," he coaxed, his words softening ever so slightly. "Forget your oath to them, and remember your oath to me."

Regan allowed her eyes to flicker shut as the back of his hand reached out to stroke her face. He had never liked the thought of her loyalty belonging to that of another before him. Jed would always be a jealous man; jealous of her status as one of the guardians of the Moon Princess – for it was his belief that by keeping her place in the Sailor Scouts he would never have all of Regan.

"I will not forsake my princess for the likes of you, just as you will say you will not forsake your queen for the likes of me. We are at a standstill, Jed, neither one of us able to gain the upper hand."

"I will kill you."

"And I will kill you."

XxXxX

Leia had always been a headstrong princess, even in her younger years. She had never stopped to think things through carefully, and no matter how hard she tried she could not keep her emotions intact. It was a great character flaw, one in which she gladly reveled as now her anger was keeping her adrenaline pumping. The brunette ignored the fact that she had a trail of blood flowing down her right arm. It mattered very little how many times she had already been hit; she had given just as much as she had gotten. Coming from the planet Jupiter worked in her favor for the princess was able to focus her great power on what was in front of her, much of which she was able to do without bothering to concentrate. Controlling thunder and lightning meant concentrating was futile; it would all hit where it needed to hit in the end.

"Give it up, Athena. This is the end for you." Leia spat out the words, drops of blood flying from her mouth as she struggled to keep her legs from buckling beneath her.

"Not until I have your head," stated the other woman, her blonde tresses falling around her once fair complexion now matted with blood and soot.

"I'd like to see you try."

"And I'd like to see you dead."

"This is why father disinherited you – you never could share with me, your own sister by blood."

Athena grunted. "Half sister, fool – I never asked for a sister, and I certainly never asked for the old man to father a child with a woman that was not my mother."

"If anything it should be I who hates you. At least I'm the legitimate one, the one born from his actual bride and not a woman he found himself lusting over a single night." She knew exactly what to say to wound her sister's ego. They had been playing this game for many years now, and should they manage to live after this night they would continue to play it some more.

Leia had tried to love her sister; she had tried to act as a sister should. For some time she followed the older blonde around like a small puppy, always hoping for a hint of affection and possibly a friend to call her own. Athena had never given her a chance though, and through the last countless number of months they had been in contact with one another the Jupiterrian Princess could not honestly say they had gotten along. The pair of them had fought worse than usual, making those around them cringe for fear of being asked to take sides.

It had only been at the request of her closest friend, the Princess Selenity that Leia had refrained from trying to harm Athena outright. Even her father had been unable to keep Leia's anger with the blonde girl at bay. The two were simply destined to be enemies until the end of time. There was nothing that bound them together but blood, and even that was now slowly running out if their battered bodies were proof enough. It had been foolish to think Athena would ever change – the betrayal so soon ago had been of no surprise to the Scout. Her only ire was not recognizing it before it had happened.

"That's only the beginning of our differences, Leia. I will always be on the opposite side of you. I will always be in the shadows with you taking my spotlight – but today that all ends. I will take your place as supreme. I will **be **more than you can ever be."

"Following a woman to hell and back only guarantees you the worst spot among the stars – your existence is going to come to an end, and it will be at my hands that it comes about."

"You sound like you might actually mean that. Don't tell me you've finally grown up, Leia. I think I might actually cry a little now."

Grinding her teeth in anger Leia launched herself forward, a cry of thunder escaping her lips. The blonde woman she knew as Athena jumped backwards, a sharp rapier slicing at her sister's exposed skin within the green uniform she wore. So long as the other was standing the two women were certain they could keep going, their hatred of the other keeping the adrenaline in their blood flowing.

Only death would be able to put a stop to their personal vendetta, and it was death they both were seeking.

XxXxXx

He had once been her teacher, someone she had admired and trusted above all others. Now he was little more than the man she abhorred; the man she would kill first and foremost this day in hell. Princess Avalon of Venus was the least blood thirsty, her reputation as a lover and most beautiful woman in the universe forever foreshadowing her wherever she went, but today was a different day. Today there was war, men dying for what they felt they believed in, and the universe crumbling around her ears.

Today was a day unlike any other.

Taking a deep breath Avalon paused for a moment to eye the man with white streaked hair before her. It was certainly longer than the last time she had seen it, in the past going little more than past his ears, its color still the tawny brown she had grown to like. A blue eye caught sight of a strand of her hair, its blonde color dull in the light of day. Normally the lackluster shine would bother her to no end, but the princess was willing to sacrifice her usual regimen of beauty for that of the world belonging to her princess, for that was ultimately what she was fighting for.

Selenity was a good friend, practically a sister, and it was for her that Avalon would gladly lay down her life. It was a part of her destiny, sure, but even without the oath taken formally so not very long ago the blonde Venetian was fairly sure she would do the same as she was doing now. She believed in all that was good and pure. She believed that the Silver Millennium could be saved, and as long as she believed Avalon would continue fighting no matter how long it took for one side to win over the other.

Her friends were in battle too, each one of them going up against someone they knew and had once come to trust. Avalon could only hope it would not be so difficult for them to strike that final blow should the chance unveil itself. She hoped to see them again, her sisters at arms, her friends for eternity, but it was a foolish thing to hope for what one could only know as being a lost cause. They would never see each other again. Their parting looks had said as much before they had vanished into the thick of battle, the four of them pursuing one person in particular to take out in hopes of weakening the other side. They had known and still gone out to battle, a good thing given that it was their duty to the kingdom of the Moon.

"I see I taught you well. You have trained yourself well to keep your powers in reserve so as not to lessen the energy that keeps you going. I always said that was the weak point of your friends – they never knew when to put effort into their powers, or when to put effort into not using them at the drop of the hat. You were my best student, Princess."

At one time Avalon would have glowed under so blatant a complement, but now she could only narrow her eyes and take a defensive stance, her yellow-gold heels digging into the moon soil beneath her feet. She would not fall for his tricks, for he had many up his sleeve, making him the most dangerous of Soldiers to be going up against. "You underestimate us all," she said simply, her voice flat even to her own ears.

"You could give up and save your own life, but here you are risking all you have for that pesky little princess. What kind of friend is she to let you and the others come out alone against the likes of us, knowing full well that the power of the Negaverse has made us stronger than you could ever imagine?"

"The stronger you are, the harder you shall fall, Malachi. You taught me that the first day I met you, or have you forgotten the lessons you so valiantly spoke?"

"I forget nothing, child. My memory will outlast time."

"But you will not. You will fall this day, Malachi. You will suffer greatly by my hands, for only the best can teach the best – **and I am the best**."

"What would your friends think if they heard you now?"

"What will yours think when they see your body lying lifeless in the dust?"

"Only one of us can be proven right, Ava." His nickname for her made the princess freeze ever so slightly. It was natural to hear it said thus, but goose bumps appeared on her arms to tell her that even so there was danger behind his words.

_He's trying to put me off guard, but I will not allow it. I will not fall at his hands. I have so much more living to do, and Selenity … she is counting on me. I cannot fail her. I cannot fail. __**I will not fail**__._

"Then may the best one win, Malachi, for the one to fall will not be me."

Pulling the chain of silver hearts from around her uniformed waist Avalon unleashed the fury of her power on her former mentor, her eyes stinging with tears as she did so.

For one who loved with all her heart, striking at a man so near to her as a father was almost more than she could bear.

XxXxXx

The universe was coming apart at the seams. Every which way that Serenity looked she could only see things going from bad to worse. Mercury was stumbling beneath the fury of the General Nephrite; Mars was clutching her stomach as she attempted to fend off the General Jadeite; Jupiter was on her knees with the fury of the heavens at her reach as she tried to bring down the General Zoycite; and Venus was being tossed about with her own chain by the Dark General Malachite.

The Sailor Scouts were no match for the Negaverse, and for the Queen of the Moon, Serenity was finally beginning to see that her cause was lost.

"How could this have happened? How could we have fallen so?" The silver-blonde queen sagged against the window she was peering out, her body weakening under each blow the Scouts took from their darker counterparts. From behind her came a voice of a man, followed by that of a woman, both doing their best to soothe her under the terrible circumstances.

"My Queen, we all underestimated the enemy. We let them into our lives without knowing it, never once imagining that Amethyst would strike at the very heart of our team."

"Artemis is right. Peace and prosperity for so long makes one forget there is evil lurking on the furthest reaches of the universe. We weren't prepared for this. We weren't prepared for anything remotely close to this."

Serenity glanced back at the dark haired woman and light haired man, her eyes brimming with tears. "I should have known something was afoot when the Outer Scouts came with tales of discord and civil war on their own planets. I had hoped that with the death of Undine's father it was nothing more than a simple battle of wills to accept Undine as heir to the throne – I never once imagined it was all a part of a bigger plan. To know that Amethyst was behind this all … it's … I never thought it could happen. A minor heartbreak on her part has led to the greatest war our universe has ever known. Oh Luna, whatever shall we do now?"

"I'm not sure, My Queen. I had half hoped it wouldn't come to this … and now … now it seems …" Luna trailed off, her shoulders falling under the weight she felt placed upon her shoulders. As friend and advisor to the Queen it was her place to have an answer of sorts to the question hanging in the air, but there was none that the dark haired beauty could give.

"There is," ventured Artemis with some hesitancy, "perhaps, one last thing we can do."

Luna shook her head, knowing instantly what her partner meant. "It's much too dangerous – we would all perish."

"It might be our only hope." The one that spoke was Serenity, her eyes dimming in the fading light of day. Both her advisors looked at her with evident concern. This battle was taking quite the toll on their ever resilient queen. It would take a miracle for her to come out of this alive.

"Perhaps we need to place more faith in the girls – perhaps they can pull it off –"

"Endymion!" The cry that pierced the dusk was that of the Princess Selenity, and a glance out the window showed the slender princess running across the marble steps towards her lover as he crumbled to the ground, a woman with bright red hair and a sinister gleam in her eyes standing over him with a thin sword in her hands.

The Moon Queen felt her heart stop as the woman she knew as Queen Beryl of the Negaverse turned with her sword, its thin blade directing itself in the direction of Serenity's beloved daughter.

"Selene! No-o-o-o!" Her own cry echoed throughout the battlegrounds as one by one the Sailor Scouts fell in battle, the army of the Negaverse succeeding over that of the Lunarian and Terran forces combined.

Drops of blood spotted the once white steps, sending the now childless mother into action, her spirit reviving itself for the final confrontation she would ever know.

From thin air she conjured a thin wand with a crescent moon and silver crystal atop its cylinder form. Closing her eyes and holding the wand above her head Serenity spoke words of power to create a blinding light seen across the entire universe. It was the power of the Silver Millennium Crystal – the power of the Moon itself, and that of Queen Serenity's heart and soul.

The light spread itself far and wide, catching all within its path, freezing time itself. Serenity could feel her spirit breaking, her body falling to the ground as she spoke more words to complete her final spell, one born of sacrifice and undying love for those already gone.

When the light faded the dark that was the Negaverse seemed to have been vanquished, locked back in their dark pit of despair from whence they had come. They would have to grow in power to be able to break from the spell they were now placed under, and Serenity hoped that it would never come to pass for many centuries to come … yet she knew that it would. Something as dark as the Negaverse and the being behind it would never truly be gone, even if Serenity could manage to make herself whole and stop it. No, that was not to be her destiny and she knew it wouldn't be.

That belonged to another, others born to ward off evil and protect the universe from itself.

Luna and Artemis rushed to Serenity's side, catching their weakened Queen as she slid to the ground. They carried her over to the divan of her room, prompting her up with pillows as the sound of breaking marble reached their ears.

Artemis caught Luna's wild eye. "The castle is coming apart – the power of the Silver Crystal is too much for it to bear. We have to get out of here before we're all crushed to death."

"Don't …" Serenity coughed her voice barely a whisper as she tried to shake her head. "Don't bother. I won't live to see another day. I used up all that I had to do the spell … I only have so much left now, and it … I must do one last thing."

"Queen Serenity, you mustn't! You don't know what you are messing with when you evoke the power of the Crystal." Luna hoped that her urging would be heeded, but she could tell by the stubborn look on Serenity's pale face that she would be ignored.

"The Negaverse will return, but I will not let them win. We need time, and right now time is not on our side. The Scouts have fallen. My own child … has … fallen." Here her words broke with tears, but Serenity struggled to pull herself together so as not to weaken her body further than it already was.

"Your Majesty," began Artemis, but he got no further. He already knew that his Queen had made up her mind. There was nothing more to say.

Luna glanced up at Artemis, her eyes widening as she realized he too was giving up. "No! This can't be! It can't be the end yet!"

Serenity sighed, a frail finger pointing out the open window. "Our time is over, Luna. The Silver Millennium has come to a close."

And with her dying breath Serenity spoke only a single word, thus ending her reign as queen.

**To be continued … **

**A/N – **I'll be using songs for every chapter, so suggestions are greatly welcome, along with characters you feel they go to, etc. Oh, and I'm looking for a beta for this story as I want to be sure to keep my focus in line, so if someone would like to help out, I'd love you greatly.


	2. Ordinary Day

**Disclaimer: **the characters do not belong to me. The plot is mine however, and it is loosely based upon a role playing game I run by the same name of SILVER MEMORIES. Everything you read here is purely fiction and for enjoyment purposes only. The names will be in English, as will be the mannerisms so I don't get flamed for butchering the Japanese culture completely.

**Song Credit: **Vanessa Carlton

xXxXx

**Ordinary Day**

The alarm rang with a shrill bell. From under the covers came an arm searching for the snooze button, finding it on the third try before pressing it down and returning to the sanctity of the covers. Silence loomed with only the occasional rustle of movement beneath the blankets as the sleeper fell back into the sleep so rudely awakened moments ago. A minute passed and then the alarm went off again. This time a groan came from the blankets as the arm moved out once more to press down on the snooze button, cutting of the bell mid-ring. Just as the arm had returned beneath the covers once more the sound of a voice from far away sounded out, interrupting the promise of sleep once and for all.

"Serena, get up! You're going to be late for school!"

The sleeper in question sat up in bed almost immediately, bleary blue eyes glancing down at the alarm on the nightstand, widening as their owner realized it was twenty minutes before she needed to be at school. "Oh no, not again!" she wailed, her words echoing across the house.

In a flurry the sixteen year old girl stumbled out of bed, pulling her covers to the floor with her as she tripped over a pair of shoes in an effort to make her way over to closet. She flung it open as she pushed a wad of tousled blonde hair over her shoulder, her hand reaching into the closet and pulling out her school uniform from the hanger she had managed to hang it on the day before.

Downstairs a middle aged couple padded around the kitchen as the hurried sounds of bumps and mild oaths reached their ears. It was a normal occurrence for their daughter to be late wherever she went. Long ago they had stopped trying to pester her to get her act together; figuring that one day the young woman would figure it out on her own. As of yet that seemed unlikely to happen.

"More tea, dear?" questioned Barbara Taylor as she held the teapot over her husband's cup on the table.

David glanced up from his newspaper, a puzzle expression on his face as the sounds of Serena stumbling down the stairs greeted his ears. "Yes, please."

Barbara nodded and refilled his cup, her eyes giving the merest of glances at her daughter as the blonde teen skidded into the kitchen, her socks pulled up only halfway upon her legs. "Don't forget your lunch, honey," she murmured to the girl as Serena pulled the remains of her hair into pigtails.

"Thanks, mom! Love you, dad!" Serena flew around as quickly as she could, scooping up her lunch and giving small pecks upon the cheeks of her parents before moving in the direction of the doorway. "Wish me luck on my test!" she called back as she grabbed her backpack from the coat rack and placed her feet in her shoes. Then, just as quickly as she had come, she was gone, leaving the Taylors to revel in small smiles of knowing before going about the rest of their morning.

Serena ran down the street, her hair flapping behind her as she huffed in exertion. For being late every morning to school one would think she had worked up a resilience to exercise like this, but it seemed Serena was still very much out of shape. She dodged an elderly woman walking with her walker, calling out a quick apology as she did so. By now it was so normal to see the blonde teen running everywhere that apologies were quite unnecessary.

"Coming through! … Excuse me! … Sorry! … Hold that bus!" The last part came out as a sort of screech, directed at a girl with brown hair brushed up into a ponytail. The girl in question seemed slightly taken aback, but didn't say another word as she placed one foot on the bus, keeping the other on the sidewalk so as to prevent the bus driver from taking off without Serena.

"Thanks!" Serena gave the girl a grin as she bounded onto the bus, barely keeping herself from falling flat onto her face as she showed the driver her bus pass.

"No problem," replied the brunette as she too got on the bus.

Serena moved to the back of the bus, slipping into the seat already taken by her best friend and partner in crime, Molly Baker. "Hey, Molls," she said brightly.

"You almost missed the bus again, Rena."

"Almost being the keyword here. I caught it, didn't I?"

"Only because the new girl was being nice," replied Molly with a roll of her own brown eyes.

With a frown Serena glanced up to the front of the bus where the new girl was standing, her hands holding onto the railing as there were no other seats available for her. "Oh yeah," she murmured. "Who is she?"

"I don't know, but she's new – even her uniform doesn't match ours, but Melvin says –"

As if on cue a male teen with glasses barely balancing on his nose popped his head from the seat behind the girls, his voice squeaking ever so slightly as he tried to speak. "Her name is Lita Wood, and the rumor is she was kicked out of her last school for fighting."

"Fighting, really?" Serena blinked in surprise, her eyes widening as she glanced back and forth between Melvin and the girl known as Lita. "How scary!"

Molly nodded in agreement. "Everyone's sort of afraid of her."

"But she seems nice," insisted Serena after another moment of wonder spent studying the brunette at the front of the bus.

"I wouldn't go near here, Serena," advised Melvin with a frown of his own as he too studied Lita. "She scares me."

"Melvin, everyone scares you," pointed out Molly with a chuckle. "I don't think I've ever met someone you **haven't**been afraid of."

"That's not true."

"Name one person other than Serena or I that doesn't make you want to turn around and run in the other direction."

"Serena's brother."

Serena snickered. "Sammy's thirteen, that doesn't count."

"Well it should."

Molly and Serena lapsed into giggles, causing those around them to look back in mild curiosity before returning to their own business. From the front Lita glanced back, a small smile appearing on her face as she shook her head. She had been afraid of this at her new school. The girls here already seemed rather cliché of all teenage girls before them: silly, small, and downright girly. It would be a wonder if she could manage to stay out of trouble here too seeing as how she was running out of schools to attend. If she wasn't careful she would be attending that private catholic school before year's end, and that wasn't at all where Lita wanted to end up.

The bus paused in its passage at another stop. Lita stepped to one side as a few more girls filed onto the bus, all wearing the uniform of the TA Private Academy that Lita was hoping to avoid. She dutifully stared out the front window as the girls positioned themselves behind her, ignoring the whispers that were already starting up. She knew she was a rare phenomenon. Her tall height, her athletic build, and the reputation that was already being shared throughout the bus – it would have been easier had the teen simply walked to school today.

"What do you think?" murmured one girl in question to another. She glanced behind her at her companion, both sharing amused looks as they studied the back of Lita.

"I think it's a good thing the public schools are still taking her," responded the other girl, a snicker coming from her lips.

From behind them came another voice, this one from a girl with raven black hair and purple-brown eyes. "Leave her be. You shouldn't judge people like that."

The girl that had spoken turned all the way around to face the girl in question, her eyes blazing as she pushed a strand of brown hair over her shoulder. "And what gives you the right to say that, Regan Hunter? You're such a God-damn ice queen at TA that if anyone should be telling another not to judge peoples it should be us telling you. I don't think I've honestly seen you speak to another person before now, something to do with your little vendetta against the social world."

"Not that she has much of a social world," interjected the other girl with a sparkle appearing in her own eyes. "Talking to crows sort of ruins that aspect of one's life before it's able to fully begin, isn't that right, Rei? How's that little feat going? Are the crows telling you what our futures are going to be like still? You're such a freak."

Rei's eyes flashed with anger, her hand gripping the railing above her head until her knuckles turned white. "Why don't you come to the Temple and find out for yourself, Maureen? I'm pretty sure I can keep the crows from picking out your eyeballs the moment you decide to grace us with your presence there."

"You bitch."

"I'm so sorry you don't like me for who I am. If it makes you feel any better I've never liked you, and that goes from the moment we first met in kindergarten. School sluts aren't on my list of people to associate with."

"Why you –" Maureen looked ready to step forward but was stopped by a tap on her shoulder. Glancing around she saw that Lita had moved to join them.

"I wouldn't do anything stupid if I were you," stated Lita simply.

Maureen glanced back and forth between Lita and Rei, her anger abating to a mild frustration. Luckily the bus was coming to another stop in front of TA, and the angry teen was able to escape with her friend. Lita watched them go, her attention then moving to Rei as the dark haired girl moved to get off.

"Hey –"

"Forget it," said Rei simply without bothering to look back at Lita. As the bus started moving again Lita could only frown and gaze out the window as the figures disappeared into the distance. Shaking her head she glanced forward once more, missing the look of understanding sent her way from another girl seated nearby.

Amy Anderson gave a soft sigh and returned her own eyes to the book that lay open in her lap. She had watched everything with rapt attention, trying her best to understand how girls could be so cruel. She had only been going to Crossroads High School, the public school that a majority of the students seated on the bus attended, for a mere week and already she felt she was incapable of maneuvering through the same world. All her years of studying had been spent in cram schools in the past, but the recent divorce of her parents had made more changes in her life than she had ever thought capable. As a result Amy was now a student at a plain public school than one with excess emphasis on studying. Her mother had said it would be a good change for her, but Amy was rather miserable.

Girls seemed to be rather cruel creatures, and that was only by judging what she saw and heard from those around her. She had listened with only little attention to the rumors about Lita, and now witnessing the confrontation between the girls at the private school told Amy that she would easily be better off in her old school than this one. At least then she would have an excuse for not having any friends like now. It was difficult returning home each day to with little information to share with her mother. The older woman simply didn't understand that socializing was not something Amy did well, nor did she feel it ever would be.

Tucking a strand of dark blue hair behind her ears the teen tried her best to concentrate on the book in front of her, but the chatter of Serena and Molly from nearby made that task rather difficult.

"I told you those girls were vicious. My mother keeps threatening to send me there if I don't start passing my science classes," said Molly with a bit of a theatrical sigh.

"Oh gross," replied Serena as she wrinkled her nose. "I don't think I'd be able to handle it – don't they force you to take religious classes too?"

Melvin nodded. "They're pretty tough with their studies, but it's also a girl only school – their mantra is to get girls serious about school and not to be sidestepped with material things like boys and shopping."

"Melvin, boys aren't material things. They're **essential **things," stated Molly flatly.

"Not at TA."

"I pity the girls that go there then," murmured Serena. "Could you imagine going all your life without seeing a guy in class so you can daydream about them and pretend to be listening to the lecture? What are you supposed to do without them?"

"Actually listen to the lecture." Molly made a face at the thought. "I wouldn't last a second there."

"Me either."

"You girls are almost hopeless, you know that?" muttered Melvin with a shake of his head. He sat back in his seat; his thoughts brooding as the bus slowly approached the school they attended.

The bus came to a final halt in front of the doors of Crossroads High School and one by one the students aboard began to unload, going off in various directions across the lawn. Serena caught herself as tripped off the bus, Molly catching her by the arm so as not to let her friend fall yet again in public. From in front of her Amy slung her bag over her shoulders and headed towards the school, giving a mere look of surprise at Serena as the blonde bumped into her ever so slightly.

"Sorry."

Amy shook her head to indicate it wasn't a problem, her eyes finding themselves directed to a passing limo in the street. Everyone else watched in slight awe as the limo drove by, disappearing with a crowd of cars in the direction they had just come from.

Lita gave a low whistle before turning towards the school, Amy doing the same as groups of girls began to cluster together to gossip about the limo they had just seen. Serena, slightly star struck with the numerous possibilities, felt herself shudder with a small breeze. Her eyes latched onto Lita and Amy, both of which seemed to be glancing up at the sky with odd looks upon their faces. There was something about that breeze that didn't quite sit well with them, just as it hadn't sat well with Serena. She wasn't sure why as breezes were natural everyday occurrences, but she decided not to think anything of it as Molly clung to her arm going a mile a minute about the limo.

The limo in question had finally made its way to its destination, pulling up in front of TA Academy. The groups of girls gathered outside the school entrance began to quiet as they turned with curiosity to study the newly arrived vehicle. The driver got out and made his way to the right side of the car, pulling open the back door for the passenger to get out. The passenger in question was a blonde teenage girl with sunglasses covering her eyes, but already the girls of TA knew who she was.

It was Mina Akers, pop sensation come home from London to attend her final years of school in Tokyo, and of all the schools to attend she had chosen TA Private Academy.

From the back of the crowd Rei shook her head and began to make her way up the front steps of the school, pausing only once as a breeze caught her attention. Her eyes flickered upwards, her senses feeling a change in the atmosphere before she allowed them to glance back down in the direction of Mina, who also seemed to be glancing in the direction of the sky.

The two girls locked eyes for barely a moment before Rei turned around and disappeared into the school.

A smile curving onto her lips, Mina murmured, "It's nice to see not everything has changed here."

xXxXxX

In the midst of the Arctic Circle, formerly buried by layers of snow, a jagged mountain had emerged, its base forming the mouth of a deep, dark cavern. From within the cavern a dark force was blowing outwards, causing a snowstorm unlike any before seen in the region. As the fierce wind howled without, within was quite the contrary. While it was cold and bitter there emanated a sinister presence, one that had been obscured with time so long ago.

A reddish purple glow brewed in the very heart of the cavern, its rays of energy caressing the frozen figures of stone along the walls. With every burst of energy more of the stone began to fade away, revealing five human figures.

The first was a woman with bright red hair, her body dressed in a gown of dark purple to match the makeshift tiara in her hair. Her nails were long and a blood red color, giving her a sallow appearance for one that was possibly beautiful in another time.

The second was a man wearing a gray uniform, a cloak distinguishing him from his companions. His hair was a pale brown color, touches of gray and white showing his many eons in exile. His eyes were a deep blue, hardened with time and a darkened soul.

Beside him was a woman with blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, her own blue eyes a pale color in her fair skin. She wore the same matching uniform, though hers had been perfected to show off the feminine curves of her body.

Next came a man with hair as black as night, cut in a careless manner about his ears. His eyes were dark, giving his own uniform an ominous gleam as he flexed his fingers from the time spent immobile.

The last figure was yet another man, this one with dark blonde hair cut short around his ears, giving him a boyish look, though his dark blue eyes did little to make him appear a friendly face. He too wore the same distinct gray uniform like that of his companions.

Together they were four generals following a queen into a dark abyss of power.

The woman with red hair spoke, her words coming out in a hoarse voice from having been unable to speak for so long before now. "Malachite, Zoycite, Nephrite, Jadeite – the time has come for our next life on earth. The Negaverse has returned! And this time we will not be defeated."

**To be continued … **

**A/N – **still searching for a beta.


	3. Little Talks

**Disclaimer:** Sailor Moon is not my property; I'm merely borrowing it for this story.

**Song Credit:** Of Monsters and Men

xXxXx

**Little Talks**

Mina surveyed the lunch hall, her eyes seeking out a place to sit. She had already received four different invitations from girls in her classes, all of which she had smiled and thanked them for. She knew that wherever she sat would make a statement. That was the trouble with elite schools like TA. The girls were all rich, and those that weren't, were too worried about keeping their scholarships to worry about the school social hierarchy. Mina honestly didn't care for any of it. She didn't need the approval of the girls at this school; she had already made her mark in the music industry. There were questions about why she was back, and a few brave souls had actually ventured as far as to actually _ask_ Mina why she was back. But thus far, Mina had kept quiet about the matter.

It wasn't any of their business, she had reasoned. Plus, what could she say? That she was trying to prevent history from repeating itself? People would think she had been working herself too hard, and that she was in need of a break.

_They'll probably think that anyway_, mused Mina to herself. She had done everything without warning; even her parents had been surprised by her sudden decision to return from abroad. It had taken them some scrambling to get things in order to return, and her mother still fretted that something had probably been left behind in their old house. But Mina didn't care much for those things. She was more concerned with the mission on hand – protecting the princess. What princess, she didn't know. There was only a blurred image, and blonde hair, but beyond that Mina had nothing to work with. She was working off a feeling she had. It was some innate sense telling her what to do, where to be… She had Artemis, but even his memories of the past were spotty. It was up to Mina to figure out where to start.

And as her eyes moved around the lunch hall, falling on a lone figure in the back, she knew just where she ought to begin.

Straightening her back, Mina moved purposefully through the lunch room, weaving around tables, and ignoring the whispers as they mounted behind her. They could all think what they wanted, because as far as Mina was concerned, their opinions of her didn't matter one bit.

She deposited her tray upon the table as she took a seat, her eyes never leaving the face before her. Rei didn't look up from the food before her, which Mina had more or less expected. She allowed the other teen to pretend she wasn't there, taking time to study her instead. It had been years since Mina had last seen Rei, and to be honest, she wasn't completely sure how to proceed. Things had soured between them… they had gone from best friends attached to the hip to, well, _this_.

_This_ was distant, cold, and barely speaking. Mina knew much of the blame lay with her, but when Rei was involved that hardly mattered. She could say things that cut to the core as well, and there had been several things said between them that had fractured their friendship completely. It had been so long ago, though, that one would think bygones could be bygones. But Mina knew better. This was Rei, and if there was one thing she knew about the other teen, it was the simple fact that Rei could bear a grudge longer than anyone else.

Mina was determined not to speak first. She wanted Rei to make the first move, that way she could gauge the other girl and act accordingly. Petty as it was, Mina didn't want to try and make amends if Rei wasn't interested in it. All she needed was for everything to be thrown back into her face, in a public setting. Few people would probably even remember that Mina had been friends with Rei, and those that did would know better than to talk about it unless they were sure things were patched up. After all, it was Mina's fault Rei's reputation was less than stellar these days. Sure the raven haired teen had a few people talk about her in awe, but Mina had heard enough this morning to know that a vast majority of the girls at the school still taunted Rei for who she was.

An apology alone would never make up for that, Mina knew. She wasn't sure what would, or if amends _could_ be made. It was troubling to admit this to herself, but she knew she couldn't pretend she had been above the blame. She had hurt Rei before she left, and then left her to the wolves. Now here they were, slightly older, but likely none the wiser.

Rei finally did speak first, lowering her fork and shifting her eyes to look at Mina. "What do you want?"

"Now, now, Rei, is that any way to treat an old friend?" replied Mina teasingly.

"Friend? I'd hardly call you a friend."

"An old acquaintance, then."

"A fucking bitch."

Mina could feel her face freeze at the words. She had expected something like that, but it didn't make it any easier to hear. She quickly smoothed out her features again, pushing forward. "That doesn't make much sense. We're looking for a term for our relationship."

"Schoolmates," said Rei darkly. "We attend the same school, end of story. Now, why don't you go find yourself someone that cares that you're even at this school? There are enough girls here that would probably duke it out to just breathe the same air as you. Apparently your 'stardom' means something to them."

"You were the one that pushed me to be try out for that contest in the first place," pointed out Mina.

"Yes, I remember that. It was right before you stabbed me in the back. Are you expecting some kind of thanks for mentioning me as that 'childhood friend that told me to reach for the stars' crap you spew to the media?" demanded Rei.

Mina grinned. "So you do care. You pay enough attention to what I say, so –"

"So nothing," interjected Rei angrily. "I'm in this school for a majority of the day, so I'm bound to hear the more brainless ones harp about your interviews in every teen magazine known to mankind. So let's return to my original question. What. Do. You. Want." She punctuated the last four words slowly, her teeth grating together. Mina knew she was pushing the limit with Rei, though in some part, she hadn't realized it would take so little for Rei to be made angry. Apparently her return had only worsened the wound Mina had made all those years ago.

"I need advice."

"Not interested."

"Oh, come on, Rei. How long are you going to be like this?" Rei didn't reply. Her lips were pressed together, turning white due to the amount of force the teen was using to keep them closed. Mina sighed at this. "I need you to do a reading for me," she said softly.

"I can't."

"Not now, of course. After school. Or this evening. I can stop by the temple –"

"I said, I can't," repeated Rei.

"Why? Because it's me?"

"Not everything revolves around you, Mina."

"Then?"

Rei didn't speak for a moment. She seemed to be eyeing Mina critically, as though debating whether or not she felt Mina deserved an answer. She eventually opened her mouth, saying, "I'm only allowed at the temple Friday through Sunday."

Mina's eyebrows furrowed together, her mind racing. "But I thought… I mean, you live there."

"No, I don't."

"Since when?"

"Since my mother returned from America."

"Wait, what? She returned? Why?" Mina's eyes had widened at the news. She knew Rei didn't talk about her family much, a result of the messy divorce and custody battle her parents had gone through when she had just begun school. That had been one of the reasons the girls had become friends in the first place. "So are you staying with her now?"

"No!" The word came out sharper than Rei had probably intended, her eyes blazing at the question. Mina was taken aback. She had known Rei had been upset by the divorce; she had had every right to be, but then she had moved into the temple with her grandfather because her father was rarely home, and some semblance of life had come back to her. Her relationship with her father had always been a rocky one, and the one with her mother had been virtually nonexistent, but Mina had more or less assumed that things would simmer down, and her parents would agree to put Rei first again.

"Last year," said Rei with a sigh, her shoulders sagging a little. "She came to promote a new film, then signed on for some big epic, and has been making public claims about seeking to reconcile with me. My father decided it was time I returned home so she wouldn't be able to use that against him if she decided to go to court again."

"Is she going to?"

"How the hell would I know, Mina? I haven't talked to her."

"Rei, she's your **mom**! Just because she and your dad hate each other, and probably still have restraining orders on each other, doesn't mean you shouldn't talk to her. It's been **years** since you've seen her. Haven't you missed her?"

"What was there to miss?" snapped Rei. "Seeing her fly off to a new set to film another movie? She and my father are more alike than they'd care to admit. He's too busy with his job to make time for me unless it's for a photo-op, and **she's** too busy with her job to even attempt to call me. She's only playing the mother card because she's back in Tokyo. As soon as she leaves again she'll stop mentioning my name every five seconds in front of a camera."

It wasn't hard to miss the anger in Rei's voice. Mina wanted to comment on it, but she knew better than to try. Just because Rei had told her some of what was going on didn't make them friends again. It simply meant Rei was tired. She had obviously been dealing with a lot the last year, and it wasn't Mina's place to try and insert herself into Rei's life just yet.

"Alright, then. What about Friday afternoon for a fire reading?"

"No."

"Now what?"

"Why are you even bothering to ask me? You know I won't do it – not for you of all people. If you want a damn reading, get one from another priestess at the temple. Or better yet, ask my grandfather. Of the two of us, he still thinks good of you." Rei stood up, gathering her half-eaten lunch as she did so. "And then when it's all done, go back to your own life, okay? I don't need you screwing up mine anymore than you already have."

Mina opened her mouth to protest, but she found she couldn't say anything. She let Rei walk away, her mind awhirl. Although Rei was still angry with her, she had still suggested Mina go to her grandfather for a reading. That had to mean something. Rei loved her grandfather; he was probably the only decent member of the family she had. If she was okay with Mina going to him, it had to mean there was some home for them to reconcile down the road…

Picking up her own fork, Mina continued to mull this over as she ate lunch, not caring that she was still seated alone in the lunch hall.

**To be continued…**


End file.
